Did you miss me?

I can’t believe they couldn’t stop the news and wait for me. Here’s a super-sized what else? to catch you up on what’s been going on.

What else ya got for me? This:

*20 Year Sentence In Lesbian Teen’s Slaying
*Amendment 60 would ban gay/lesbian foster parents
*Guilty Plea In Slaying Of DC Lesbian Activist
*Lesbian teens plead guilty to killing grandparents
*Pentagon may repeal its sodomy rule
*Unidentified arsonists set fire to gay bar in Jerusalem
*Documentary on Gay Marriages to Premiere
*Pair who beat gay man get 11 1/2-month terms
*NZ haven for gay immigrants
*Tough battle ahead for gay groups
*New Channels Seek Gay Audience
*Psychologist Dismissed for Treating Homosexual Inclinations Reinstated
*Spain to allow homosexual marriage
*Church split over transgender couple
*Gay Catholics dismayed by Pope Benedict XVI
*Virginia Supreme Court Orders State To Honor Gay Adoptions
*New law receives mixed reaction in gay community
*Anti-discrimination law protects more than gays
*Hydro debt collector calls man a queer
*Littleton Teacher Says She’s Targeted For Being A Lesbian
*Man who admitted killing lesbian teen gets 20-year term
*D.C. gay and lesbian police unit is government innovation award finalist
*Job fair focuses on queer careers
*State To Consider Ban On Books Promoting Homosexual Lifestyle
*Homosexual film fest to open in Beijing
*Pro-family groups claim boycott success
*Nepal: Police Attack Transgender People
*Warning over gay matric dance couples
*Same-sex marriage opponent makes specious argument

Women Innkeepers of Provincetown is hosting an event-filled weekend for single women, May 13 - 15.

- Speed meetings
- Dance parties
- Cocktail receptions (minus the cock, of course)

Click here for details.

As previously noted in this story, Microsoft recently withdrew its support for legislation that would have outlawed discrimination against gay and lesbian people in Washington state. Now, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, which presented Microsoft with its Corporate Vision Award in 2001, is asking the company to return the award.

“We honor companies that, among other things, set a high standard for others by exhibiting leadership in advancing the cause of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual equality,” said L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief of Staff Darrel Cummings. “Because of Microsoft’s apparent capitulation to the demands of anti-gay extremists and withdrawal of support for a bill that would do nothing more than protect gay and lesbian people from discrimination, we believe it’s no longer worthy of our highest corporate honor.”

Microsoft was honored at the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s 30th Anniversary Gala in 2001 because the company had been a leader in opposing anti-gay initiatives, was one of the first companies to offer domestic partnership benefits and include sexual orientation in its corporate non-discrimination policy, and has supported AIDS and GLBT organizations across the country. Center leaders are concerned about the company’s apparent shift in its support of civil rights legislation for the GLBT community. Phone calls from the Center to Microsoft have not been returned.

“One of the most basic civil rights is protection from discrimination,” said Cummings. “By withdrawing support for legislation that would protect the GLBT community from discrimination — especially in its home state — we’re very concerned about the direction Microsoft is headed. It sends a dangerous message to the rest of corporate America, and to society in general, and may be cause for our community to evaluate its support of Microsoft.”

The seventh annual Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival kicked off Friday 4/22 with a screening of Craig Lucas’s The Dying Gaul and concludes Sunday, May 1, with Craig Chester’s Adam & Steve. In between, the 10-day festival will offer a wide variety of short films and features of interest in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.

Making their debut as presenting sponsor this year is Sundance Channel and Comcast. “Sundance Channel has been firmly committed to showing films from the LGBT community since its inception nine years ago,” said Kirk Iwanowski, Sundance Channel’s Senior Vice President, Marketing. “Sundance Channel is proud to continue that tradition and to partner with Comcast as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2005 Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.”

Last years Festival award winners included Brother to Brother (Best Feature), Paternal Instinct (Best Documentary) and Callas Forever (Audience Award). Visit the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival’s website for more information and details.

Connecticut has joined Vermont in offering its lgbt citizens the option to enter into Civil Unions. Connecticut governor M. Jodi Rell signed Senate bill s.S..B. 963 into law on April 20, 2005. The law will go into effect October 1, 2005.

The bill specifies that the rights it extends to civil union partners may derive under statute, administrative regulations or court rules, policy, common law, or any other source of civil law. Generally, these fall into the following categories:

1. family law, including marriage, divorce, and support;

2. title, tenure, descent and distribution, intestate succession, wills, survivorships, or other incidents of the acquisition, ownership, or transfer (during life or at death) of real or personal property;

3. state and municipal taxation;

4. probate courts and procedure;

5. group insurance for government (but not private-sector) employees;

6. family leave benefits;

7. financial disclosure and conflict-of-interest rules;

8. protection against discrimination based on marital status;

9. emergency and non-emergency medical care and treatment, hospital visitation and notification, and authority to act in matters affecting family members;

10. state public assistance benefits;

11. workers’ compensation;

12. crime victims’ rights;

13. marital privileges in court proceedings; and

14. vital records and absentee voting procedures.

You can read the complete act here.

The Washington state Senate rejected a bill to add sexual orientation to the state’s anti-discrimination law on Thursday.

House Bill 1515 would have banned discrimination against gays and lesbians in housing, insurance and jobs by adding sexual orientation to a state law that already barred discrimination based on race, religion, gender, national origin, marital status and physical or mental handicap. The bill failed to pass in the senate by one vote. Two democrats voted against the bill along with 23 republicans.

George Cheung, executive director of Equal Rights Washington said:

“We are profoundly disappointed at the vote today. It shows how incredibly out of step they are with what the will of the people is. … We will make sure to work hard to educate people in (Finkbeiner’s) district about his role.”

Corporations supporting the bill included Boeing, Nike, Qwest Communications and Hewlett-Packard. One major Washington corporation not on the support list was Microsoft, which has previously won awards for its internal policies on LGBT rights from the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.

Opposition from Washington area mega churches, including the threat of a national boycott from the Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, appear to be a factor in Microsoft’s decision to move from supporting the bill to a neutral stance. The bill was overwhelmingly popular with Washington State residents, with 71% of Washingtonians in favor of the bill.

Well. Now that we know Microsoft is afraid of a boycott, let’s give it to them. You can replace your existing Microsoft Office products with the free and excellent open source solution Open Office from Sun Microsystems. You can send your original Microsoft disks along with a letter stating your displeasure over their interference in local politics to:

Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399

For a company which has historically supported lgbt rights, Microsoft has sent a strong message that boycott threats from the right are effective. Push back - download Open Office today and send Microsoft your own message that the rights of extremists are not more important than equal rights for all citizens.

So this isn’t a Queer only event…but I got this announcement from a listserv I’m on and I thought it was just too funny not to pass along! Gives Karaoke a whole new…twist.

Just in case you have never been, this will be the first clothing optional “let it all hang out” PORNAOKE Extravaganzaa the world has ever beheld…

Join Psydde Delcious, Athena Lourdes and other local celebrities of Ill-Repute for a grunting, groaning, graphic good time at Club Kama Sutra

Near South Street in Philly… go to their website for more info cuz ya gotta be members or join to attend, but it ain’t no thing for the ladies so we expect a lotta naughty girlz. You can bring your own bottles of your favorite drink or brew grab the mike and get busy!

And what is this Pornaoke thing? Well, it’s kinda like Karaoke, with porn
videos and microphones and a live deejay… for more info see the websites above.

Don’t forget the pictures if you go.

I’m filling in for Maria for a couple days, but I’ll try not to mess up her system.

I caught this the other day on PRWeb:

A new documentary, “Selling Queer” chronicles the events of Gay Day 2004 in Orlando, Florida. One of the nation’s largest gay-oriented vacation weeks, Gay Day brings over 150,000 travelers to the area and has been the target of numerous protests due to its close affiliation with the Walt Disney World Resort.

According to the Gay Days promoters over $110,000,000 is brought into the central Florida economy during the week long party event. Of that money under $10,000 went to charity. The promoters claim that the benefit to the local gay community comes from the influx of capital into the venues and then trickles down to the extra man power that must be hired. If this is true, then why are many of the gay-owned and operated businesses in Orlando’s so-called “Rainbow Row” closing their doors immediately following the event? Why are circuit party promoters like Mark Baker [Coliseum, Magic Journeys] trying to pay their talent in party tickets instead of cash? This is where “Selling Queer” breaks new ground, allowing a silent majority to be heard at a crossroads for gay rights. A majority that feels it isn’t appropriate for gay community leaders to allow corporate sponsors and mainstream media to reinforce the image of a hedonistic community of drugs and sex.

I am not so sure I’m the silent majority on this one. For a community which at times seems obsessed with TMI (too much information) on a number of issues, money seems to remain our big taboo. How and where the money goes on events like this doesn’t get a lot of press, and it’s clear from the film’s director, R. Dekker Dreyer, is determined to show both sides of this complex issue.

Selling Queer will premiere in New York City on May 4th, 2005 at the Village East Cinemas (2nd Ave. & 12th St.). The screening will take place at 8:00pm and tickets are available for $10.00 online at Ticketweb (search for Selling Queer), by phone at 1-866-468-7619 or at the box office.

Vision Statement

Through any form of creative expression, oppressed peoples have the ability to challenge the ideas, images and institutions that society has used against them. This is an evening designed to bring together the most diverse and talented group of people in the area by developing long-term artistic, organizational and interpersonal relationships. It is also an opportunity to take honest and unrehearsed looks at ourselves, because all of us who are abused by those with power and societal privileges, also contribute to the oppression of someone less fortunate. This can happen unknowingly, or maybe youre fully aware of it, but you dont know what to do about it. Everyone is encouraged to attend and learn.

For Artists

Any creative form of expression in Literature, Song writing/Singing, Dance, Film, Visual Art, Theatre and Media Arts are acceptable as long as a theme along the broad spectrum of anti-oppression is presented during the showcase. All artists who want to express anti-oppression meanings and messages in front a large crowd are encouraged to participate in this ongoing series. The art and expression should be different, unique, provocative, and yet, they should all have common bonds of resistance to societal normalcy and the status quo. Art based upon the constructs of racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, adultism, nationalism, ableism, secularism, speciesism, etc., or the issues that fall within those societal ills.

For all pain, there is poetry. For all struggles, there is a song. This event is more than a multi-media, multi-cultural celebration - it is the foundation for uniting oppressed people and communities of all shades and shapes in the area. This is a revolution - a renaissance of art and a resurrection of unity.

For more information, contact DeWayne Dickerson.

Opps… I mean check out tranny roadshow 2005.

The Tranny Roadshow is a multimedia performance art extravaganza, which will be touring the country in the spring of this year. It is composed of an eclectic group of artists, each one self-identified as transgender, and includes poets, rappers, filmmakers, storytellers, breakdancers, rock bands, comedians, actors, folk singers, photographers, zinesters, and more. Stationary art (i.e. photography and sculpture) will be on display, but most of the presentation is the live show, a unique variety show where the expression of gender and the expression of self are inseparable.

As for the hot boys of the roadshow, here’s one.

What else ya got for me? This:

*Anti-Gay, Anti-Catholic Protesters
*Pacific Island Nation Under Fire Over Sodomy Laws
*Makerere Toughens On Homosexuality
*The misdirected passion of Andrea Dworkin
*Documentary tells the story of homosexual boxer